Grant Lawrence

Grant Lawrence Signs Two-Book Deal w/ Douglas & McIntyre

// December 12th, 2011 // 14 Comments » // Blog

The Smugglers circa 1998 in Toronto - photo by Eric Warner

from the press peeps:

“Bestselling author and CBC Radio personality Grant Lawrence has signed a two-book deal (North American English rights) with D&M Publishers.

Grant Lawrence is the Vancouver-based author of Adventures in Solitude, which won the BC Book Prize for Booksellers’ Choice of the Year, and was shortlisted for the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Non-Fiction Prize, the largest non-fiction prize in Canada, Adventures in Solitude being the only debut of the five finalists. The book was #1 on the B.C. bestseller list for months and reached #2 on the national bestsellers list for nonfiction paperback.

“I’m extremely excited about joining the Douglas & McIntyre team. They’re celebrating their 40^th year as a publisher, and I’m celebrating my 40^th year as a human being”, says Lawrence. “I’m also a huge fan of many of the books D+M have published over the years”.

Grant joins Douglas & McIntyre’s distinguished list of authors, which includes Douglas Coupland, Will Ferguson, Wayson Choy, and many others.

Grant Lawrence’s next book, currently untitled, chronicles Grant’s life through the gritty indie music world with his underdog band The Smugglers. Once called “the Forrest Gump of rock ‘n’ roll bands”, the Smugglers always rubbed shoulders with giants during their 17 year career of “ambition, good times, and denial”, rolling through the eras of grunge, alternative, and pop-punk, as well as the revivals of ska, swing, and garage rock. Even though the Smugglers never actually found much fame themselves, they still managed to tour the world to rabid crowds in dank, dark clubs. Along the way, Grant obsessed over many great rock ’n’ roll sites, from Graceland in Memphis, to the Cavern Club in Liverpool, to the site of Buddy Holly’s plane crash in an Iowa corn field. The book will publish in spring 2013.

The second book for D+M is a memoir about Grant’s lifelong tenuous relationship with hockey and his view from between the pipes as an amateur, gimpy, championship-winning goaltender, which will publish in fall 2014.

The agreement was arranged by Douglas & McIntyre’s associate publisher Trena White and Samantha Haywood of Transatlantic Literary Agency.”

Bookin’ It In The Kootenays

// October 30th, 2011 // 1 Comment » // Blog

The "Book Club Bitches" of Nakusp, BC!! (Their name, not mine!!)

I just wrapped up my last few book events of 2011, finally touching down in the Kootenay region in the mountainous southeastern pocket of BC. Known for its mix of European immigrants, industry, and a draft-dodging hippie counter-culture, it’s an area that I’ve wanted to tour the book to from the beginning, so I was happy to finally be able to swing through this beautiful area this weekend. Here are some of the highlights:

I flew into the little town of Castlegar where I hopped into a tiny rental car with an unlockable trunk, and hit the winding, gorgeous highways and byways of the Kootenays, ribbons of blacktop stretching through river valleys, mountain passes, time zones and tiny picturesque towns. First stop…

Cranbrook

Located in the eastern Kootenays, this town is also hosting a concert for my wife Jill in exactly a month, so I had my first experience of seeing my book event posters side by side with her concert posters. My reading was at a nice, big, bright independent bookstore called Lotus Books that has been there for years and years. Lots of people came out and we had a great time fueled by wine, snacks and laughs. A highlight was meeting a plane crash survivor / physiotherapist / Scottish gent who was extremely enthusiastic and complimentary of my stories. After the reading I chowed down on a delicious venison stew courtesy of Heidi’s Restaurant. Thanks, CranBOOK! (Trivia fans: hometown of Steve Yzerman!)

Trail

Trail is a blue-collar town known for its huge smokestack smelter on the bank of the Columbia River, its Italian community, and many famous hockey teams and players. This afternoon’s book event was at the Crockett Book Company, the only bookstore in town, deep within the mall up on the hill. The bookstore overlooked the food court and thus it was a bit of a challenge trying to read stories over the general din of mall people eating. That said, a small crowd of friendly people came down, mostly CBC Radio fans, their attendance and attentiveness appreciated. Afterwards I was able to chow down on at The Colander Express, a famous Italian Trail eatery, while getting the stink-eye from a couple of mall rats. (Trivia fans: hometown of goaltender Cesare Maniago!)

Rossland

This is my kinda town. In fact it reminded me a lot of larger version of Lund, up near Desolation Sound. This ski village is up in the Monashee Mountains, right along the US border, and is the home to a beautiful little store called Café Books. They put on a great event for me – a packed house of my kinda people… lovers of life, laughter, and beer. Café Books supplied both beer and pizza for the patrons, and I had the pleasure of chatting with all sorts of Rossland residents, including a true character named Angela, one of my seasonal neighbours up in Desolation Sound. Thanks to everyone at Café Books for a fantastic night! (Trivia fans: hometown of John Turner, our 17^th Prime Minister of Canada!)

Winlaw

Winlaw is a tiny hamlet located deep in the Slocan Valley, home to about three businesses, one being Jennie’s Book Garden, a lovely, comfortable little bookstore, run by Jennie, who hand picks every single book sold in the store. Of all the bookstores I’ve visited across the country this past year, this one is certainly one of the best. I could have spent hours in there, going through all of Jennie’s very intriguing personal picks, and hearing or reading about the reason why that particular book sits on the shelf. It’s a great compliment that my book is one of them. Also, awesome Tintin selection! (Trivia fans: Winlaw is also home to the Cedar Creek Café, a live music venue and organic restaurant).

Nakusp

If Rossland reminded me Lund, Nakusp, located on the sandy shores of Upper Arrow Lake, reminded me of Powell River. It’s a little bigger than Rossland, and more of a mix of blue-collar workers and folks who have moved there to retire, just like good ol’ PR. The Nakusp Public Library put on a great afternoon book event for me in the local log cabin community centre, which came complete baked goods brought by attendees. The chocolate chips cookies passed my taste test with flying colours. And you know it’s a good book reading when the mayor shows up. Thanks also to the very comfortable Frog’s Leap Bed and Breakfast for the much-needed crash pad.

Thanks to everyone in the Kootenays for making me feel so welcome! I’ll be back to do the other half of the region in the spring!

Top Ten Moments At the Hilary Weston Writers Trust Prize Gala

// October 26th, 2011 // 7 Comments » // Blog

Ok, so I am just coming down from my first real taste of what I have heard much about but never actually experienced first-hand until Tuesday night… the upper echelons of Canada’s “Literati” at the inaugural Hilary Weston Writers Trust Prize for Nonfiction Gala at the Royal Conservatory in Toronto… four other Canadian authors and myself vying for the $60,000 prize, the largest nonfiction prize in Canada. I was a LONG way from Desolation Sound…

Here are my Top Ten Moments from a night I’ll never forget:

10. Having my parents in attendance, who shared a cab in the pouring rain to the Gala with Lawrence Hill, author of Book of Negroes, much to their star-struck delight.

9. Trivia Fans! Did you know Hilary Weston is not only an extreme philanthropist but also owns Holt Renfrew?!?

8. Outrageous cocktail party snacks included gourmet, miniature grilled cheese sandwiches and tiny roast beef and yorkshire pudding, fish and chips, and wee cups of chocolate mousse.

7. The National‘s Amanda Lang, also seen on the Lang and O’Leary Exchange, bringing my still-star-struck parents up to the Westons/authors private reception before the Gala.

6. Seeing the Sunparlour Players‘ Andrew Penner performing live music for the Gala, including his song “Hymns for the Happy” and covers of Gordon Lightfoot and Stan Rogers.

5. Meeting fellow BC nominee Charlotte Gill, author of Eating Dirt, who has gracefully managed to capture in poetic print the filthiest of careers: tree planting.

4. Spotting CBC luminaries in the rows behind us like Carol Off, Elenor Wachtel, and Linden Macintyre.

3. Seeing a list of my top 5 fave Canadian non-fiction books listed on the big screen in front of the entire crowd, including On A Cold Road by Dave Bidini, Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat, The Curve of Time by M. Wylie Blanchet, and Before the Fame/The Connors Tone by Stompin’ Tom Connors.

2. Hearing esteemed Toronto actor Joseph Ziegler read a story from Adventures in Solitude in which I puked on my mom.

1. The pin-drop silent moment before the winner was announced, as my Mom clutched my hand and squeezed hard… And then Hilary Weston announced Charles Foran and his book Mordecai as the winner.

Congratulations to Charles, and thanks to Hilary Weston and the Writers’ Trust for a phenomenal experience!

Next stop: the Kootenays this weekend…

Adventures in Solitude Long Listed for Canada Reads

// October 22nd, 2011 // No Comments » // Blog

Earlier this week I was informed that, to my surprise, Adventures in Solitude has made it to the Top 40 Long List for the first ever non-fiction edition of Canada Reads, for 2012! To say that making this list is an honour is a major understatement. I’m in shock and awe to be included on the same list as several of my all-time Canadian literary heroes and influences, including Farley Mowat, Pierre Berton, and Dave Bidini.

THANK YOU to all who nominated the book.

You can see the entire list here, where you can vote for your five favourites. The voting closes on Sunday Oct 30, and the Top 10 will be announced on Q on CBC Radio 1 on Nov 1.

Thanks for your support of all of these amazing Canadian books!

Closing Up The Cabin For The Season

// October 16th, 2011 // 7 Comments » // Blog

It’s something I most definitely do not look forward to. It’s something I have to do every year in Desolation Sound before the mercury dips below freezing: close the old place up for the winter. I dread doing it, because it means I won’t return again until the spring… March if I’m lucky, April more likely.

Our cabin isn’t insulated for the cold like others in the Sound, and we’re fairly exposed to the wild winter weather on the coast, so we really need to batten down the hatches and get the hell out of there. Every year it’s the same nostalgic, weary process… I haul up the kayaks and the canoe and tie them down undercover, stack all the paddles away, drag the deck furniture inside, put the picnic table up against the wall, disconnect the propane on the BBQ, clean off the grill and roll it to the back of the cabin out of the elements. I then take a long walk through the woods with my machete, up to our water tank and turn the tap to the right for the first time since last April (righty-tighty, lefty-loosey), shutting off the fresh water supply to the cabin. That really makes it final.

Then, to make sure we don’t return to burst pipes in the spring, I hike back down the trail and open up all the taps at the cabin… the bathroom and kitchen sink, shower, hose, and hot water heater, draining every drop. I’ll flush the toilet a couple of times, then bail the remaining water in the toilet bowl and the tank into a bucket, heaving the excess water over the side of the deck. That part is kind of gross.

I take down the just slightly fraying Canadian flag from the flag pole, fold it carefully and put it inside. I turn off the fridge and empty it of all contents,  some headed for the compost, others into the cooler to take back to the city. I turn off the strains of the Vinyl Cafe or Cross Country Checkup on our little transistor radio and tuck that away too (I always seem to close up for the season on a Sunday). I hang up the life jackets and put away the chainsaw. I get out my garden clippers and cut back all the flowers so their bulbs will hopefully hibernate over the winter and bloom again in the spring.

All the while, a giant bald eagle sits on a craggy branch at the top of the fir tree overlooking Russell Cove, watching me. Or at least I think he is watching me. When I step back into the cabin I see him swoop down onto the beach, startling a few big, black ravens who noisily make room. I hadn’t noticed, but it seems the ravens had been feasting on dead Chum salmon that have washed ashore, and the eagle wants his share. The inlet is scattered with dead salmon at this time of year, washed into the inlet from their fall spawning death ritual up the nearby Theodosia River.

Almost done, I put the thick tarps up over the windows to protect them from the horizontal rains and lashing gales of winter, securing them with ropes and cords, lashing them into place. The happy cabin that is usually filled with so much sunlight is now darkened, all the dishes put away and food removed.

I carry my bags and cooler down to Big Buck$ and load her up quickly, hop on and fire up her gutteral outboard motor. As I start slowly puttering away on a glassy sea in the gorgeous low sunshine of fall, I reach into the cooler and pull out a final can of lukewarm beer. As I crack it open I turn to face the shuttered cabin, raise the can to its cedar shake roof framed with blue sky and shout “thanks!”

Then I gun it back for the government wharf.

Canada Reads 2012 Goes NonFiction!

// September 28th, 2011 // 2 Comments » // Blog

Whoa! I’ve just found out that, thanks to the Hilary Weston Writers Trust Prize nomination, it means that you can also vote for Adventures in Solitude to be included in this year’s first-ever nonfiction round of Canada Reads. The polls are open until Oct 4 at midnight ET, and soon after the Canada Reads True Stories Top 40 will be revealed. You can find Adventures in Solitude by scrolling down to the bottom of the voting page. Thanks for the vote! You can vote here.

Adventures in Solitude Nominated for Prestigious Hilary Weston Prize

// September 20th, 2011 // 1 Comment » // Blog

Yeah, that's me beside the first Prime Minister of Canada. I think we're both hung over in those pics.

from the press peeps:

“Grant Lawrence’s Adventures in Solitude Nominated for Canada’s Largest
Nonfiction Prize

Last night, CBC Radio 3 host Grant Lawrence handed out the 6th annual Polaris
Music Prize to the Arcade Fire. This morning, through a hung over haze, Grant
woke up to find himself on a shortlist. Adventures in Solitude has been
nominated for the prestigious Hilary Weston Writers Trust Prize for
Nonfiction, the largest nonfiction prize in Canada.

Grant Lawrence, a Vancouver based broadcaster and author, was among five
authors announced for the Shortlist this morning at Toronto’s Telus Centre
for Performance and Learning. Other authors on the list include Charles
Foran, Charlotte Gill, Richard Gywn and Ray Robertson.

The grand prize is $60,000, making it the single richest annual nonfiction
prize in Canada. The winner will be announced during an event and after-party
on October 25, 2011 at Koerner Hall in Toronto.

“I’m shocked”, Grant Lawrence said Tuesday morning in Toronto. “It’s a great
honour to be nominated for such a prize, and it’s something that completely
caught me by surprise. I’m extremely flattered that my grubby stories from
beyond the end of the road has been recognized this way”.

The Hilary Weston Writers Trust Prize is awarded for literary excellence in
the category of nonfiction, which includes, among other forms, works of
personal or journalistic essays; memoirs; commentary; and criticism, both
social and political; history; and biography. Finalists have demonstrated a
distinctive voice, and a persuasive and compelling command of tone,
narrative, style, and technique.

Adventures in Solitude was released on Harbour
Publishing, and has since become a national bestseller, hitting #1 on the BC
Bestseller list for over 20 weeks. The book is about Grant’s summers spent at
his cabin in Desolation Sound, located on the wild west coast of Canada,
where the characters are just as wild as the weather. Adventures in Solitude
is Grant Lawrence’s first book.”

Adventures in Solitude Home Movies #12 – The Dock

// September 15th, 2011 // 8 Comments » // Blog

Adventures in Solitude Shortlisted for National Award: UPDATED

// September 1st, 2011 // 2 Comments » // Blog

Edna Staebler (1906 - 2006)

UPDATE: 2011/09/07: Congratulations to Helen Waldstein Wilkes Letters from the Lost: A Memoir of Discovery for winning the 2011 Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction. A bummer to lose but an honour to be nominated. Helen’s book sounds fascinating and I look forward to tracking it down. -GL

From Harbour Publishing:

“Adventures in Solitude by Grant Lawrence is one of three Canadian books shortlisted for the Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction. Worth $10,000, the award is open to books of creative non-fiction published in the previous calendar year. To qualify, an entry:

• must be the writer’s first or second published book of any type or genre,
• must have a Canadian locale and/or significance,
• should be distinguished by first-hand research, well-crafted interpretive writing, the writer’s personal discovery or experience, and creative use of language or approach to the subject matter.

Previous winners are not eligible, and the judges reserve the right to grant or withhold the award in any year. Previous winners include Charlotte Gray, Wayson Choy and Elizabeth Hay. The winner will be announced on September 7, 2011.”

The Edna Staebler Award is administered by Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, and the award will be presented at a special centennial ceremony Oct. 4, 2011, in Waterloo, with author readings planned for the Brantford campus and Toronto office. The award is designed to encourage new Canadian talent, and is open to authors who have published a first or second book.

The other two books nominated are Jew and Improved by Benjamin Errett and Letters from the Lost by Helen Waldstein Wilkes.

New Fall Events Across Canada!

// August 26th, 2011 // 3 Comments » // Blog

My transport to the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts

As summer starts to wrap, I’ll send out a huge thank you to the festivals, people and places that have hosted me over the sunny season: Home County Folk Fest, Regina Folk Fest, Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts, and the Refuge Cove Gallery. It’s definitely been a summer to remember. This weekend I’m bound for the annual Peak Performance Boot Camp in Princeton BC where I get to work with 20 of the best bands in BC for career development.

The fall season is shaping up to be a busy one as well, as I have the honour of once again co-hosting both the Polaris Music Prize Gala in Toronto, and the Western Canadian Music Awards, this time in awesome Whitehorse, Yukon. I’ll also be making a return to Word on the Street Vancouver, and am very excited to be announcing a book tour of the Kootenay region of southeast BC, where I’ll be making stops in Nelson, Fernie, Invermere, Cranbrook, Rossland, and possibly other towns. In November, I hope to be back in the prairies.

You can see all of my upcoming dates here.

For all those wondering what the hell is going on with me and CBC, I’ve spent the summer doing a lot of work for CBC Radio 1, both guest hosting the BC afternoon show All Points West, and doing a weekly nationally syndicated column called Cross Country Cottage. As of Tuesday September 6, I’m excited to be back in the hosting chair at CBC Radio 3 for my daily live show and weekly podcast.